Article
Like the Odyssey, Only Different: Olympian Omnipotence versus Karmic Adjustment in Pynchon's Vineland
Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction
Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Disciplines
Abstract
In Vineland, Pynchon recalls the Odyssey in order to foreground crucial differences from its Western model of comprehending narrative outcomes as acts of Olympian or divine omnipotence. Instead, Vineland does something innovative with narrative power, establishing specific karmic character relationships that potentially ameliorate personal and national grievances and suffering and broadening our understanding of narrative power and outcomes beyond the heavy hand of judgment in order to register gentle karmic nudges.
Identifier
10.1080/00111619.2011.626813
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Citation Information
Rando, D.P. (2014). Like the Odyssey, only different: Olympian omnipotence versus karmic adjustment in Pynchon’s Vineland. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 55(1), 17-32. doi: 10.1080/00111619.2011.626813